Games People Play about more than games people play

Greg Pothier (sitting) and business partner Joseph Allen pose for portrait at their hobby and gaming shop Games People Play on Barrington Street in Halifax on Thursday. (ADRIEN VECZAN / Staff)

A NEW HOBBY SHOP in downtown Halifax is out to show the masses the geeks are here to stay.

From its street-level windows on Barrington Street to its proximity to a busy downtown bus stop, Games People Play co-founders Joseph Allen and Gregory Pothier say their modus operandi is to get people of all ages to experience the fun, social atmosphere gaming fans flock to.

“The gaming crowd has evolved in recent years; the old crowds from back in the day were shoved into a backroom and hidden in a dungeon, but we’re putting this all on display on second busiest street in Halifax,” Allen said in an interview Thursday.

“We’re trying to get the word out there that the gaming industry is growing; it’s a trend, and the geeks are here and they’re going to stay.”

With funding from the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development, Allen and Pothier developed a unique business model that supports itself solely by the sale of gaming and novelty items such as trading cards, board games, action figures and comic books.

A handful of snacks and drinks are also available for purchase, but it is far from a cafe.

Unlike a traditional retail shop, Games People Play isn’t focused on the bottom line, Allen said.

Instead, the businessmen are focused on creating a fun and relaxing place for the burgeoning community of gaming enthusiasts to use as a place to play games into the wee hours of the morning, curl up on the couch with a good comic book and meet new people.

“The gaming industry is more than just a PS3 or Xbox,” Allens said. “It’s getting together with friends and family and playing a board game or getting together and playing a trading card game.

“To us, that’s the gaming industry we want to support.”

The business will host gaming nights and tournaments in concert with local groups such as the Nova Scotia Board Gaming Society and Hal-Con.

Allen and Pothier also have aspirations to work with local schools to create student events.

“We want to grow over time, and the only way we’re going to be able to do that is to have young people coming into our store and fostering those relationships,” Allen said.

“We believe that this type of atmosphere does engage people and helps develop social skills.”

Games People Play is at 1587 Barrington St. in the former home of Random Play. The games are Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., and on Friday and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m.